Navigating Commercial & Retail Leases
If you are opening a “brick and mortar” franchise location or commercial space for your business, it is essential to have your lease reviewed and negotiated by an attorney experienced in retail and commercial leasing. For decades, we have been handling leases for retail locations that operate in:
- Shopping centers
- Strip-centers/malls
- Malls
- Stand-alone buildings
- Mixed-use properties
- Commercial condominiums
- Lifestyle centers
- Motels/hotels
The Commercial Lease Review Process
Our process involves gathering information from, and working in collaboration with, our client, the local broker, the national broker, a franchisor’s in-house real estate team, and design professionals. The goal is to move through the leasing process in a streamlined and efficient manner from the initial review and execution of the Letter of Intent through the exchange of lease drafts with the landlord’s counsel until a final lease is executed.
Ultimately, the “devil is in the details” when it comes to a retail/commercial lease. We spend our time focusing on key issues that can impact your operations and cost you money, such as:
- Tenant Improvement Allowance
- Rent Concessions (free rent)
- Additional Rent Charges (such as common area charges, “CAM”)
- Personal Guarantees
- Early Termination Provisions
- Tenant Relocation
- Assignment Rights
- Exclusivity
- Landlord’s Remedies
We will also audit CAM charges.
Leases tend to be long, complex documents that are loaded with language heavily favoring the landlord. It is critical that you have an advocate who can thoroughly explain the lease terms and then develop a strategy for negotiating “tenant-friendly” language on items of key importance that will directly impact your business and financial success.
Get Started with Our Experienced Commercial Lease Attorneys
Over the course of hundreds and hundreds of deals with landlords ranging in sophistication from “mom and pops” to national developers, we have developed an expertise in retail/commercial leasing that allows us to focus on the most important items that need to be negotiated on your behalf. We believe that our skills will serve as great comfort and provide you tremendous value throughout the daunting process of finalizing your lease.
If you are planning to open a commercial or retail space in the near future, we are always happy to discuss our process, take a look at your Letter of Intent or answer any questions that you may have. Contact us today for more information.
